Big Ten capsules

Friday

Aug 21, 2009 at 12:01 AMAug 21, 2009 at 9:18 PM

Big Ten capsules, in order of projected finish.

John Supinie

1. OHIO STATE
Coach: Jim Tressel, 83-16 in 8th year at Ohio State, 208-73-2 in 23rd year overall.
2008: 10-3 overall and 7-1 (T-1st) in the Big Ten. Lost 24-21 to Texas in the Fiesta Bowl.
NCAA rankings: 76th among 119 teams in Division I-A in 2008 in total offense, 342.7 yards per game; 14th in total defense, 293.8.
Starters back: 5 on offense, 7 on defense.
Notable losses: RB Chris Wells, WR Brian Robiskie, LB James Laurinaitis, LB Marcus Freeman, CB Malcolm Jenkins.
Big question: Can sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor, the league's preseason offensive player of the year, overcome growing pains and pass the ball down the field??Outlook: The Big Ten – and the rest of the country – will be watching on Sept. 12, when
Ohio State hosts USC to see if the Buckeyes can hang with the nation's heavyweights.
Tressel says: "For a freshman, (Pryor) was pretty careful with the football and grew to learn from every experience he had. There were some tough experiences along the way.''

2. IOWA
Coach: Kirk Ferentz, 70-53 in 11th year at Iowa, 82-74 in 14th year overall.
2008: 9-4 overall, 5-3 (T-4th) in Big Ten. Defeated South Carolina 31-10 in Outback Bowl.
NCAA rankings: 53rd in total offense, 390.4; 12th in total defense, 291.3.
Starters back: 6 on offense, 8 on defense.
Notable losses: RB Shonn Greene, DT Matt Kroul, DT Mitch King.
Big question: Wasn't Ferentz (who received a contract extension through 2015) on the hot seat before last season?
Outlook: The weight of the offense rests on quarterback Ricky Stanzi, who developed into one of the league's most accurate passers.
Ferentz says: "We need to have some great stories emerge. Certainly if you look at last year's team and go back through Iowa history, that's usually the case.''

3. PENN STATE
Coach: Joe Paterno, 383-127-3 in 44th year at Penn State and overall.
2008: 11-2 overall, 7-1 (T-1st) in Big Ten. Lost to USC 38-24 in the Rose Bowl.
NCAA rankings: 14th in total offense, 448.9; 8th in total defense, 280.1.
Starters back: 5 on offense, 4. on defense.
Notable losses: WR Derrick Williams, C A.Q. Shipley, DE Aaron Maybin, S Anthony Scirrotto.
Big question: Can the talented running backs gain ground behind a rebuilt offensive line and take pressure of quarterback Daryll Clark, a first-team all-Big Ten pick who lost three star receivers to graduation?
Outlook: The 82-year-old Paterno underwent hip replacement surgery in the offseason, allowing him to run onto the field and attempt an encore of last season's strong return to power.
Paterno says: "A couple years ago, we were having our problems, and I had some people putting pressure on me. We were only one or two players away from being pretty darn good. We've had four pretty good years since then.''

4. MICHIGAN STATE
Coach: Mark Dantonio, 16-10 in 3rd year at Michigan State, 34-27 in 6th year overall.
2008: 9-4 overall, 6-2 (3rd) in Big Ten. Lost to Georgia 24-12 in Capital One Bowl.
NCAA rankings: 74th in total offense, 343.5; 58th in total defense, 355.8.
Starters back: 7 on offense, 8 on defense.
Notable losses: RB Javon Ringer, QB Brian Hoyer, S Otis Wiley.
Big question: Are the Spartans actually ready to move forward and become a reliable winner despite key losses on offense?
Outlook: Dantonio instilled discipline and toughness in a program known for stepping on its own foot. Linebacker Greg Jones leads a defense that should be stout.
Dantonio says: "It's very, very important to recognize that we've been in this situation before where the Spartans have sort of raised up on very high expectations and fell a little bit flat.''

5. ILLINOIS
Coach: Ron Zook, 18-30 in 5th year at Illinois, 41-44 in 8th year overall.
2008: 5-7 overall, 3-5 (T-6th) in Big Ten.?NCAA rankings: 19th in total offense, 438.8; 56th in total defense, 350.3.
Starters back: 8 on offense, 6 on defense.
Notable losses: LB Brit Miller, CB Vontae Davis, DE Will Davis, DE Derek Walker, OT Xavier Fulton.
Big question: With only one winning season in his first four tries in Cham-bana, can Zook's program survive another loser?
Outlook: The Illini have the best group of receivers in the Big Ten, but quarterback Juice Williams must improve his decision-making and accuracy to cover up a rebuilding defense.
Zook says: "The last couple of years we've been up and down. Coming off the Rose Bowl following the 2007 season, I made the comment that we were going to be a better football team. We didn't reach those expectations.''

?6. WISCONSIN
Coach: Bret Bielema, 28-11 in 5th year at Wisconsin and overall.
2008: 7-6 overall, 3-5 (T-6th) in the Big Ten. Lost to Florida State 42-13 in Champs Sports Bowl.
NCAA rankings: 37th in total offense, 399.2; 37th in total defense, 329.1.
Starters back: 6 on offense, 5 on defense.
Notable losses: RB P.J. Hill, LB DeAndre Levy, LB Jonathan Casillas.
Big question: Can running back John Clay carry a program that lost its momentum last season?
Outlook: Bielema was 21-5 in his first two seasons. A four-game losing streak midway through last season and a bad bowl loss has left them grumbling in Madison.
Coach Bielema says: "A year ago, we were predicted to do some special things. The ball didn't go the right way all the time. Our guys have taken a year to recover and have a hunger in them that's pretty intense.''

7. MICHIGAN
Coach: Rich Rodriguez, 3-9 in 2nd year at Michigan, 108-70-2 in 17th year overall.
2008: 3-9 overall, 2-6 (T-9th) in the Big Ten.
NCAA rankings: 109th in total offense, 290.7; 67th in total defense, 366.9.?Starters back: 7 on offense, 5 on defense.
Notable losses: QB Steven Threet, LB John Thompson, S Brandon Harrison.
Big question: What area Rodriguez can rely upon?
Outlook: True freshman quarterback Tate Forcier faces as tough a challenge as the Detroit auto industry. The Wolverines attempt to avoid their first back-to-back losing seasons since 1962 and 1963.
Rodriguez says: "We learned what we have, the strengths and weaknesses of our players, what we have in our program and what we've got to do to have success.''

8. NORTHWESTERN
Coach: Pat Fitzgerald, 19-18 in 4th year at Northwestern and overall.
2008: 9-4 overall, 5-3 (T-4th) in Big Ten. Lost to Missouri 30-23 in Alamo Bowl.
NCAA rankings: 61st in total offense, 358.5; 49th in total defense, 340.5.
Starters back: 5 on offense, 8 on defense.
Notable losses: QB C.J. Bacher, RB Tyrell Sutton, WR Eric Peterman.
Big question: Why can Northwestern compete in football but not in basketball?
Outlook: Cornerback Sherrick McManis, a Peoria Richwoods grad, and the secondary lead a strong defense that held eight teams to 20 points or less last season.
Fitzgerald says: "We're going to have new names and new faces, but we've got as much competitive depth in skill positions as we've ever had.''

?9. MINNESOTA
Coach: Tim Brewster, 8-17 in third year at Minnesota and overall.
2008: 7-6 overall, 3-5 (T-6th) in Big Ten. Lost to Kansas 42-21 in Insight Bowl.
NCAA rankings: 91st in total offense, 322.9 per game; .
Starters back: 10 on offense, 8 on defense.
Notable losses: TE Jack Simmons, DE Willie VanDeSteeg.
Big question: Will opening the 50,000-seat TCF Bank Stadium this season really create a home-field advantage?
Outlook: Quarterback Adam Weber and wide receiver Eric Decker take care of things through the air, but Minnesota ranked last in the league in rushing. Brewster also hired new co-defensive coordinators.
Brewster says: "We're going to embrace being outside. Hopefully, we're going to have some cold, snowy days where our opponent is going to come in there and not like it as much as we're going to like it.''

10. PURDUE
Coach: Danny Hope, first year at Purdue, 25-22 in five years overall.
2008: 4-8 overall, 2-6 (T-9th) in Big Ten.
NCAA rankings: 48th in total offense, 374.4; 61st in total defense, 358.1.
Starters back: 4 on offense, 7 on defense.
Notable losses: QB Curtis Painter, RB Cory Sheets, WR Greg Orton, LB Anthony Heygood.
Big question: Will the coach-in-waiting plan work at Purdue in football as well as basketball, where Matt Painter rebuilt the Boilers?
Outlook: After guiding Eastern Kentucky for five seasons and serving as a Purdue assistant last season, Hope has a rebuilding job. Metamora product Caleb TerBush, a redshirt freshman quarterback, will compete for playing time with fifth-year senior Joey Elliott.
Hope says: "We're outside of our comfort zone at Purdue. We're used to having a guy who has thrown for 10,000 to 12,000 yards and up for every award. That's not the case, but I'm a big Joey Elliott fan.''

11. INDIANA
Coach: Bill Lynch, 10-15 in third year at Indiana, 91-82-3 in 17th year overall.
2008: 3-9 overall, 1-7 (11th) in Big Ten.
NCAA rankings: 71st in total offense, 348.2; 107th in total defense, 432.2.
Starters back: 7 on offense, 9 on defense.
Notable losses: QB-WR Kellen Lewis, RB Marcus Thigpen, PK Austin Starr.
Big question: Can moving star receiver Ray Fisher to cornerback help a defense that ranked last in the Big Ten in total defense and passing defense?
Outlook: Lynch took over during trying circumstances following the death of Terry Hoeppner two years ago, but Lynch likely can't afford another dud like last season.
Lynch says: "With Ben Chappell being our quarterback, we knew staying in the spread every snap wasn't in our best interest. We wanted to be able to run some power football.''